UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Relive the 2012 NCAA Championship season for the Nittany Lion wrestling team on this highlight video.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Exactly five weeks after clinching the 2012 NCAA Team Championship in St. Louis, four Nittany Lion wrestlers will contend for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team traveling to London this summer.

Penn State's 2012 national champions, Ed Ruth and David Taylor, along with 2011 national champion Quentin Wright and Matt Brown will travel to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 21-22 to compete in the freestyle competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Taylor, who won the 2012 Hodge Trophy after a dominant 32-0 season at 165 pounds, earned a wildcard spot at 74 kg (163 pounds).  Additionally, redshirt freshman Matt Brown will contend for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team at 74 kg after a second place finish at the Final Olympic Trials Qualifier.

Ruth, who was recently named InterMat Wrestler of the Year after an undefeated national championship season, clinched a wildcard spot for the trials at 84 kg (185 pounds).  Fellow Nittany Lion and 2011 national champion Quentin Wright will join Ruth at 84 kg after also being named a wildcard selection.

Nittany Lion wrestling head coach Cael Sanderson won the World Team Trials after seven years away from competition last summer at 84 kg, but Coach Sanderson is not expected to wrestle at the U.S. Olympic Trials next week.

The winner from each weight class at the Olympic Trials will represent the U.S. at the London 2012 Summer Games.

GoPSUsports.com caught up with all four Nittany Lions preparing for the Olympic Trials at the Penn State wrestling room.  Take a look what they had to say about the adjustment to freestyle competition as they get set for competition in Iowa City.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - March Madness.

Those two words resonate with sports fans across the country during this time of year.  It is truly a great month to be a sports fan with college postseason competition filling all hours of the day.

I'm right there with the college sports fanatics glued to the TV and webstreams watching men's and women's basketball and wrestling throughout March.  But "March Madness" takes on a new definition for staff members in athletic departments working with teams competing in the postseason.

For me, March is a whirlwind of travel across the nation to cover the Penn State athletic teams in the postseason.  The month of March is unlike any other during the calendar year.

From the Midwest to the Bayou to New England, "March Madness" travel spanned 7,026 miles in 2012 (shy of 7,912 miles in 2011) with stops in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana and Rhode Island.  It included 18 nights in a hotel out of 28 days, 10 flights, nine airports, one train, five trips to Steak & Shake, seafood at Sammy's in the Gulf Coast region and Benjamin's along the Atlantic Ocean, 15 basketball games, 857 individual wrestling matches, one Big Ten title, one Sweet 16 appearance, three individual national champions and one team national title.

Tag along through a notebook from a month to remember in 2012 for Penn State sports teams.

February 28-March 5 - West Lafayette, Ind. & Indianapolis, Ind.
The postseason travel began a little earlier than usual with a regular season trek to the land of Boilermakers with Coach Chambers and the Nittany Lion men's hoops team.  Penn State boarded its Embraer 145 charter at 6:30 p.m. for a direct flight to Lafayette, Ind., and a stay at the Hilton Garden Inn along the banks of the Wabash River.  Game morning (Feb. 29) included a team walk across a bridge over the Wabash in 70-degree weather.  The newly renovated Mackey Arena played host to the Nittany Lions on Senior Night for a Boilermaker class that included all-time great Robbie Hummel.  A packed house was the setting for a superb atmosphere for college hoops.

With the Big Ten women's hoops tournament slated to begin just one day later, an extended stay at the Omni Severin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis was next.  The Lady Lions opened the conference tournament with a 78-74 victory over Minnesota on March 2.  One day later, it was back to Mackey Arena 65 miles up the road in West Lafayette for Big Ten Wrestling action.  Penn State sent seven wrestlers into the semifinals on Saturday night, but only three Nittany Lions earned a spot in the championship matches.  With its back to the wall, Penn State needed a valiant comeback on Sunday to win a second-straight Big Ten title.  Head coach Cael Sanderson smiled and wanted to see how his team would respond.  The Nittany Lions did just that by winning 11-straight matches en route to three individual titles and a team Big Ten championship for the second-straight season.  It was back to Happy Valley on a 6 a.m. flight from Indianapolis on March 5 to get ready for week two of travel.

Penn State Wrestling - 2012 Big Ten Champions

March 7-9 - Indianapolis, Ind.
The traveling caravan moved onto the highways of America on March 7 with a drive back to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.  The Omni Severin staff recognized myself and staff photographer Mark Selders as prime customers while checking in for the second time in three days.  While Coach Chambers and the Nittany Lions fell short against the home state Indiana Hoosiers, the 2011-'12 season laid the foundation for what will be a great deal of success for the Nittany Lion basketball program.

March 15-17 - St. Louis, Mo.
The bags were packed and the conference championship season was over.  March 15 kicked off two weeks full of NCAA Wrestling and Women's Basketball Tournament action.  I boarded a 7:52 a.m. flight from State College, just as the sun began to rise of Mt. Nittany en route to St. Louis' Scottrade Center for the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Sun rise over Happy Valley - March 15

The Arch in St. Louis

Simply put, Penn State wrestling put on a show in the Gateway to the West.  For the second-straight season, Coach Sanderson and the Nittany Lions clinched a national championship before the finals even took place.  Seeing senior Frank Molinaro capture a lifelong dream on wrestling's grandest stage by winning a national title was one of the most memorable things I've seen in my years at Penn State.  Additionally, it is hard to find a more dominant performance at the national tournament than that of sophomore David Taylor who pinned his way to the finals before scoring national title with a tech fall.  The night ended with the Nittany Lions on stage with the 2012 NCAA Championship trophy.  With work completed at 1 a.m., the 3:15 a.m. wakeup call for the next leg of the journey came early.

David Taylor celebrating his national title with Cael Sanderson

2012 NCAA Champions

March 18-21 - Baton Rouge, La.
With a paddleboat down the Mississippi River from St. Louis to Baton Rouge not a feasible option, I boarded a 6 a.m. flight from Lambert International Airport to Baton Rouge (with a stop in Houston).   The warm, humid weather along the Mississippi River set the stage for great stay in Baton Rouge as the Lady Lions earned their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 2004.  Penn State topped UTEP on March 18 to earn a date with host LSU on the March 20.  Penn State knew that playing fifth-seeded LSU on its home floor would be no easy task, but it did not matter.  The Lady Lions turned in a strong second half to knock off the Lady Tigers by a score of 90-80.

The banks of the Mississippi at the Hilton Baton Rouge

NCAA Second Round on March 18 - Penn State vs. LSU

The southern hospitality was superb in Louisiana.  Additionally, LSU's athletic facilities and staff were first rate.  The $2 million cage for Mike The Tiger, LSU's live mascot, was one of the most interesting sights of the trip.  With a ticket to the Sweet 16 punched, Penn State boarded a charter back home to Happy Valley at 1 a.m. CT and returned home after 4 a.m. ET.

Mike The Tiger's $2 habitat next to Tiger Stadium

Mike The Tiger

March 23-26 - Kingston, R.I.
A mere 60 hours later, the women's hoops travel party boarded a DC9 charter jet to Providence, R.I., for the NCAA Regional round of the tournament.  Kingston, R.I. (home of the University of Rhode Island) is a small town with very limited hotel options.  Therefore, Penn State stayed in Newport, R.I. at the Newport Harbor Hotel located on the water.  Despite the 30-minute drive to the Ryan Center for practice and the games, Newport was a great destination with endless restaurant options and scenic views along the Atlantic Coast.

On the way to Providence for NCAA Regional

The Atlantic Coast in Newport, R.I.

Playing UConn is a tall order in the postseason, but the Lady Lions battled to the final whistle on Sunday afternoon.  While the result was not what anyone in the program had hoped for, the Lady Lions gained invaluable experience on Sunday afternoon against UConn.  The Sweet 16 loss will make Penn State a better basketball team for the future.  The return flight home to State College landed at 11:15 a.m., just in time for the start of spring football practice.

NCAA Regional Semifinal on March 30 - Penn State vs. UConn

While travel is relentless during the busiest month of the year, March is a good reminder of why this job is one of the best in sports.  Watching Penn State teams compete, and excel, in the postseason is priceless.  Start the countdown clock to March Madness in 2013.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

VIDEO: 2012 Penn State Individual Champions

VIDEO: Cael Sanderson National Championship Press Conference

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Celebrate with head coach Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions by a taking a look back at a memorable day inside the Scottrade Center.  Penn State claimed its second-straight national championship at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in dominant fashion.  Sights and sounds from championship Saturday in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Nittany Lions turned in a dominating performance at the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships to earn their second-straight national championship.  Head into the media room to hear from head coach Cael Sanderson after winning the title.

VIDEO: Cael Sanderson NCAA Championship Press Conference


VIDEO: 2012 Penn State Individual NCAA Champions

ST LOUIS, Mo. - Head coach Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling team reached the mountain top of the wrestling world with a truly dominant performance at the NCAA Championships en route to claiming a second-straight national championship.

After mathematically clinching their third all-time team national title during the morning session inside the Scottrade Center on Saturday, the Nittany Lions put icing on the cake with three individual national champions on Saturday night.

Senior Frank Molinaro (149), sophomore David Taylor (165) and sophomore Ed Ruth (174) finished the 2011-'12 season with a combined record of 88-0, and all three scored well-earned national championships on wrestling's biggest stage.

Penn State has worked towards a run in the month of March since the practice season began in October.  Time after time after time Coach Sanderson and the wrestlers repeated the importance of wrestling their best at the NCAA Championships.

With more than half of the team's starting lineup finishing third or better, and three national champions, Penn State lived up to its word and saved its best performance for last.  Of the six wrestlers who finished third or better at the national tournament, just one (Frank Molinaro) is a senior.

Coach Sanderson is beginning to build a dynasty in just third season at the helm of the program.  The Nittany Lions have a stranglehold on the wrestling world after dominating the field for a 25.5-point victory in St. Louis.  Penn State will bring hardware back to Happy Valley for the second-straight year.

The Big Ten was king of the wrestling world in 2012 with four teams finishing in the top five and six in the top 10 of the final standings.  This marks the sixth-straight season a Big Ten team has won the national team championship in wrestling.

It was a night, and week, to remember for the Nittany Lions and the large contingent of fans clad in all white in St. Louis.  Penn State achieved the ultimate prize with hard work and an attitude of dominance.  Simply put, the Nittany Lions wanted the title more than any other team in St. Louis, and that attitude stems from the leader of the program.

Head coach Cael Sanderson expects a lot out of his wrestlers, but the group works tirelessly to be the best, and it has fun doing it.  Like the Big Ten title two weeks ago, the national championship was a complete team effort.  Everyone in the lineup played a big role in Penn State's ability to secure a national championship.

Final Team Scores:
1. Penn State - 143.0
2. Minnesota - 117.5
3. Iowa - 107.5
4. Cornell - 102.5
5. Ohio State - 68.5


Penn State NCAA Title Matches Roundup
125 - #10 Nico Megaludis (28-8) - NCAA Runner Up
Freshman Nico Megaludis' run through the national tournament fell just short in the championship final against top-seeded Matt McDonough from Iowa.  After a scoreless first period, McDonough struck first with an escape.  The Iowa junior worked for a takedown in the third after Megaludis fought off several shots.  McDonough used the takedown and riding time to score a 4-1 victory in the first national title bout.  Nevertheless, Megaludis, who became a freshman All-American, had an outstanding week in St. Louis, scoring two big victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals against wrestlers he lost twice to during the regular season.


149 - #1 Frank Molinaro (33-0) - NCAA CHAMPION
Senior Frank Molinaro finished his Penn State career in fitting style with a national championship in an undefeated senior season.  It didn't come easy on Saturday night, though.  Molinaro had beaten No. 7 Dylan Ness three times this season, but it did not matter in the national title match.  Ness came out aggressive from the opening whistle forward.  He nearly tallied a takedown in the opening period, but Molinaro fought it off to score a takedown.  He added an escape point and riding time to score a 4-1 victory and a well-deserved national championship.  Molinaro has been on a mission since the season began.  The senior faced some adversity on Thursday night in the NCAA second round when he tweaked a knee.  Head coach Cael Sanderson sat down with Molinaro after that match and told him to wrestle the way he knows how to.  Molinaro said the message really stuck with him, and he earned the national title he had been looking for. 

Quoting Molinaro:
"It hasn't really sunk in yet, just because I didn't picture the match going like that.  Ended up in a dogfight...I put my heart and soul into this for five years.  I didn't care how I got it."


165 - #1 David Taylor (32-0) - NCAA CHAMPION
Dominance is the only way you can describe the performance David Taylor turned in at the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships.  The Ohio native made it look easy on Saturday night, like he did throughout the season.  On the heels of four pins in each of the rounds leading up to Saturday's national title match, Taylor went right to work with a takedown in the opening seconds against No. 11 Brandon Hatchett from Lehigh.  It was the first of nine takedowns in the match.  He also scored two near-fall points and a reversal on his way to a 22-7 technical fall in 5:50.  Taylor, who was named the Outstanding Wrestling of the NCAA Championships, wrestled a grand total of 14:36 at the 2012 NCAA Championships in five matches.  Coach Sanderson said after the match that Taylor turned in one of the most dominant performances of all-time at the national tournament.  It is hard to argue.  After falling short one season ago, Taylor was a man on a mission from the first day after last season's championship finals.  Taylor said that he will enjoy this season's team title much more after claiming an individual crown on Saturday night.

Quoting Taylor
"This whole year, I just wanted the NCAA Tournament to be here.  I wanted to be on that stage and make up for last year.  And this season I wouldn't let myself feel like I was getting better.  And then this tournament, I think I realized, man, I feel a lot better than last year."


174 - #1 Ed Ruth (31-0) - NCAA CHAMPION
Redshirt sophomore Ed Ruth followed Taylor's national title with a rout of his own against undefeated and third-seeded Nick Amuchastegui from Stanford.  Ruth turned Amuchastegui on two different occasions and nearly added another pin to his season total, but he did not need it.  Ruth yielded just one reversal in the first period before rolling to a 13-2 major decision.  Ruth finished third in 2011, and he knew coming into 2012 that he was going to be a tough wrestler to beat.  With so much natural ability, Ruth is virtually impossible to beat.  Additionally, Ruth gets better as matches wear on.  Finishing on the top step of the podium after tallying a 31-0 record is an incredible accomplishment.  He said that it was an unbelievable feeling on the mat when he clinched the title.

Quoting Ruth
"It is an unbelievable feeling, especially when you are on the mat and you have the title within your grasp.  It's amazing."


184 - #6 Quentin Wright (30-4) - NCAA Runner Up
In an all-Centre County showdown, sixth-seeded Quentin Wright fell just short of his second-straight national title against No. 4 Steve Bosak from Cornell.  Wright scored a reversal in the second period, while Bosak added two escapes to make it a 2-2 after two periods.  Following a scoreless third, the match between two former high school workout partners headed into overtime.  Bosak notched a takedown to score a dramatic 4-2 sudden victory.  Despite falling just shy of the top step, Wright turned in another stellar season for the Nittany Lions and a superb run at the national tournament.

ST LOUIS, Mo. - Thanks to a third-place finish from redshirt freshman Dylan Alton at 157 pounds, the Nittany Lion wrestling team mathematically clinched its second-straight team national championship inside the Scottrade Center on Saturday morning.

Barring any unforeseen team point total deductions, Penn State will win the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championship.  With 30 potential points still on the table, the Nittany Lions have mathematically cleared second-place Minnesota and third-place Iowa.

Team Scores after Session V:
1. Penn State - 128.0 (5 finalists)
2. Minnesota - 113.5 (2 finalists)
3. Iowa - 103.5 (3 finalists)
4. Cornell - 90.5 (3 finalists)
5. Oklahoma State - 66.0 (1 finalist)

It will be an exciting night in St. Louis as the Lions will be looking for five individual national titles to go along with their second-straight team title.  Stay tuned for much more coverage tonight.  For now, take a look at Alton's march to third at the NCAA Championships and a preview of Penn State's national title bouts.

Consolation Draw:
157: #7 Dylan Alton (6-1) - Third Place
Redshirt freshman Dylan Alton is no stranger to close matches in the postseason.  For the second time at the NCAA Championships Alton wrestled into a sudden victory period against No. 5 Ganbayar Sanjaa from American.  The duo headed into the first sudden victory period tied at 4-4.  After two tiebreakers, Alton and Sanjaa headed to a second sudden victory period tied at 5-5.  With just four seconds left, Alton secured a double-leg takedown on the edge of the mat to claim a 7-5 victory.  In the third-place match, Alton and Northwestern's Jason Welch wrestled to a 0-0 tie after one period.  Alton scrambled for a takedown in the second and a 3-1 lead.  He added one more takedown in the third and riding time en route to a third-place finish in his first NCAA Championships appearance.  Aton was impressive all three days in St. Louis on his way to a 6-1 record.

Next Up: Tournament Complete


NCAA Title Match Breakdowns - 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
125 - #10 Nico Megaludis (28-7) vs. Matt McDonough (Iowa) (35-1)
McDonough scored a 3-1 sudden victory over Megaludis during the regular season.

149 - #1 Frank Molinaro (32-0) vs. #7 Dylan Ness (Minnesota) (24-8)
Molinaro and Ness will wrestle for the fourth time this season.  The Lion senior scored a 16-10 in the dual season, a 9-1 major at the Southern Scuffle and a 15-0 tech fall victory in the Big Ten title match two weeks ago.

165 - #1 David Taylor (31-0) vs. #11 Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) (22-3)
Taylor scored an 8-5 victory over Hatchett during the dual match season.

174 - #1 Ed Ruth (30-0) vs. #3 Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) (24-0)
The highly-anticipated bout will feature two undefeated wrestlers.

184 - #6 Quentin Wright (30-3) vs. #4 Steve Bosak (Cornell) (32-4)
Wright and Bosak will clash in an all-Centre County national title bout.  Wright defeated Bosak by a score of 10-3 at the Southern Scuffle this season.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

ST LOUIS, Mo. - The large contingent of Penn State fans in the northwest corner of the Scottrade Center had a lot to cheer about on Friday night, as the defending national champion Nittany Lions went 5-for-5 in national semifinals matches en route to extending their team lead to more than 20 points over Minnesota.

Freshman Nico Megaludis (125), senior Frank Molinaro (149), sophomore David Taylor (165), sophomore Ed Ruth and junior Quentin Wright will compete for the ultimate wrestling prize on Saturday night in St. Louis when they take the mat for the national championship matches.  Freshman Dylan Alton is still alive in consolation action, as well.

The "11th-man" willed on the Lions to a 7-1 round on Friday evening, bringing the cumulative tournament record to 28-7 for the 2012 NCAA Championships.  The Nittany Lions are well within striking distance of their second-straight team national championship heading into the final day of action in St. Louis.

Team Scores after Session IV:
1. Penn State - 124.0 (5 finalists, 1 consolation)
2. Minnesota - 101.5 (2 finalists, 4 consolation)
3. Iowa - 93.0 (3 finalists, 2 consolation)
4. Cornell - 86.0 (3 finalists, 2 consolation)
5. Ohio State - 60.0 (1 finalist, 2 consolation)

Here is a roundup from all seven Nittany Lions who competed at the NCAA Championships on Friday night.


125: #10 Nico Megaludis (4-0) - National Championship Match
Freshman Nico Megaludis has oozed of confidence since his opening match on Thursday at his first NCAA Championships.  After avenging two losses to No. 2 Zachary Sanders on Friday morning, Megaludis moved past No. 6 Frank Perrelli of Cornell in dramatic fashion to earn a spot in the national title match on Saturday night.  The Lion freshman lost twice to Perrelli during the season, but when the chips were on the table, Megaludis came up big.  Megaludis and Perrelli wrestled to a 1-1 tie after three periods.  It took two sudden victory frames and four 30-second tiebreakers to decide the outcome, but Megaludis scored the biggest victory of his career with an escape in the third tiebreaker.

Quoting Megaludis:
"One match at a time. Four down, one to go.  The fans are awesome. I just got to get out there and perform, just have fun tomorrow."

Next Up: #1 Matt McDonough (Iowa) in the national championship match
McDonough scored a 3-1 sudden victory over Megaludis during the regular season.


149: #1 Frank Molinaro (4-0) - National Championship Match
Frank Molinaro is one victory away from the goal he has been waiting his entire life for.  Against Hofstra's Justin Accordino, Molinaro turned in a trademark dominant performance like he has throughout the season.  The senior led by a count of 2-0 after one, but he tallied 2:22 of riding time, and the lead felt like much more than two points.  Molinaro scored a reversal in the third and earned 4:44 of riding time en route to a dominant 5-0 victory.  He will wrestle in the national championship match for the second-straight season on Saturday night against a familiar foe in Minnesota's Dylan Ness.

Quoting Molinaro:
"It just means that I'm one step closer to my goal.  I haven't achieved what I wanted yet.  This is just one of the last pieces of the puzzle."

Next Up: Dylan Ness (Minnesota) in the national championship match
Molinaro and Ness will wrestle for the fourth time this season.  The Lion senior scored a 16-10 in the dual season, a 9-1 major at the Southern Scuffle and a 15-0 tech fall victory in the Big Ten title match two weeks ago.


165: #1 David Taylor (4-0) - National Championship Match
It is hard to use any word other than perfect to describe David Taylor's march to the national championship match.  The Ohio native pinned his way into his second-straight title match.  After three first-period pins, Taylor tallied a fourth-straight fall at the 4:44 mark against No. 4 Bekzod Abdukhmono of Clarion.  Taylor fell behind, 2-0, after an early takedown, but he answered with five takedowns of his own before scoring the fall.  Taylor will take a perfect 32-0 record into the national title; a match the sophomore has been waiting 12 months for after last season's setback.

Quoting Taylor:
"I am going to approach it the same way (as last year). I have trained for a whole year, my whole life, actually, to be in the national finals.  Tomorrow I get a chance to fulfill my goal."

Next Up: #11 Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) in the national championship match
Taylor scored an 8-5 victory over Hatchett during the dual match season.


174: #1 Ed Ruth (4-0) - National Championship Match
Sophomore Ed Ruth took his abilities on the mat to another level in his second season wearing a Penn State singlet.  Like Taylor and Molinaro, Ruth will take an undefeated record (30-0) into the national championship match after a truly dominant semifinal performance.  Ruth took a 5-0 lead against Minnesota's Logan Storley after one period before a series of takedowns and six near fall points fueled the sophomore to a 16-1 tech fall victory at the 6:38 mark.

Quoting Ruth:
"I'm so proud to be a part of Penn State.  The thing we're doing out here, what we're going to be doing tomorrow, it's a big deal to see we can still do this."

Next Up: #3 Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) in the national championship match


184: #6 Quentin Wright (4-0) - National Championship Match
When the bright lights of the NCAA Championships come on, Quentin Wright has a knack for finding another gear.  For the second-straight season, Wright earned a spot in the national title match after defeating Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) by a score of 3-2 in the national semifinals.  Wright fended off a late takedown attempt from his 2011 national title match opponent to earn the right to defend his national championship from one season ago.  It will be an all-Centre County national championship match as Wright, a Bald Eagle HS product, will square off against State College HS graduate Steve Bosak from Cornell.  Wright and Bosak trained together to prepare for the PIAA Wrestling Championships when they were scholastic athletes.

Quoting Wright:
"Sometimes things don't work out the way you planned.  Sometimes you make mistakes training-wise or in a match.  Just learn from them and keep moving on, don't make them again.  I made a few mistakes at the Big Tens that I didn't repeat come Nationals. Here I am."

Next Up: #4 Steve Bosak (Cornell) in the national championship match
Wright defeated Bosak by a score of 10-3 at the Southern Scuffle this season.


Consolation Draw:
157: #7 Dylan Alton (4-1) - Consolation Semifinals
Redshirt freshman Dylan Alton earned All-America status with a 6-3 victory over Air Force's Joshua Kreimier in the consolation quarterfinals.  Alton used a takedown in each of the first two periods, an escape in the third and riding time to earn a spot in the consolation semifinals.  Later in the evening, Alton used a takedown in the final 20 seconds to score a 4-3 victory against 11th-seeded James Green from Nebraska.  Needing two more wins, Alton is still alive in a quest for third place.

Next Up: #5 Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) in the consolation semifinals


285: #6 Cameron Wade (2-2) - Tournament Complete
Wade suffered a 7-3 setback in the consolation quarterfinals against Binghamton's Nick Gwiazdowski.  The Nittany Lion senior fell one victory short of All-American status.

Next Up: Tournament Complete


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

VIDEO: Penn State Wrestler Interviews - NCAA Session III



ST LOUIS, Mo. - The Nittany Lions will send five wrestlers into the national semifinals on Friday night at the NCAA Wrestling Championships after a strong morning session in the Scottrade Center.  Penn State extended its lead in the team standings heading into session IV.

Freshman Nico Megaludis kicked off the morning action with a superb victory over second-seeded Zachary Sanders to earn his first trip to the semifinals at 125 pounds.  Frank Molinaro (149), David Taylor (165), Ed Ruth (174) and Quentin Wright (184) will join Megaludis in the semifinals on Friday night.

Dylan Alton (157) and Cameron Wade (285) will also be in action on Friday night in the consolation quarterfinals.  Frank Martellotti (133) and Morgan McIntosh (197) wrapped up competition in their first NCAA Championships appearance.

Team Scores after Session III:
1. Penn State - 78.5 (5 semifinalists, 2 consolation)
2. Cornell - 61.5 (4 semifinalists, 1 consolation)
3. Iowa - 58.5 (4 semifinalists, 2 consolation)
4. Minnesota - 56.0 (3 semifinalists, 5 consolation)
5. Oklahoma State - 50.0 (3 semifinalists, 1 consolation)


As a team the Nittany Lions are 21-6 for the tournament after going 5-4 in Session III.

Here is a roundup from all nine Nittany Lions competing at the NCAA Championships.


125: #10 Nico Megaludis (3-0) - Championship Semifinals
After dropping two matches by a combined score of 12-4 during the season against No. 2 Zachary Sanders from Minnesota, true freshman Nico Megaludis said on Thursday night that he wanted to avenge the setbacks with more effort on Friday.  True to his word, Megaludis struck first with an escape and takedown in the first period for a 3-1 lead.  He added one more crucial takedown in the third period, and then hung on for a 5-4 victory.  The Penn State corner of the arena erupted as Megaludis tallied a huge victory in his first trip to the NCAA Championships.  He is an All-American as a freshman, but he is not done yet.  Megaludis has looked like anything but a freshman in St. Louis.

Next Up: #6 Frank Perrelli (Cornell) in the championship semifinals
Perrelli knocked off Megaludis twice during the season (9-3, 6-4).


149: #1 Frank Molinaro (3-0) - Championship Semifinals
Senior Frank Molinaro was not happy with his performance on Friday night.  Despite scoring a 6-5 win in the second round, Molinaro expects more out of himself.  He roared back on Friday morning with a 10-2 major decision over Michigan's Eric Grajales.  After a scoreless first, Molinaro scored a takedown and two near-fall points to claim a 4-0 lead after two.  Two more takedowns, an escape and riding time handed the Lion senior a 10-2 major and All-America status for the fourth year in a row.  He is Penn State's fifth four-time All-American.

Next Up: Justin Accordino (Hofstra) in the championship semifinals


157: #7 Dylan Alton (2-1) - Consolation Quarterfinals
Two weeks ago, redshirt freshman Dylan Alton squared off with No. 2 Derek St. John of Iowa.  St. John clipped Alton with a takedown in overtime for a 3-1 sudden victory.  The duo met again on Friday morning inside the Scottrade Center with an identical outcome.  St. John and Alton battled for 7:00 with the score knotted at 1-1.  Alton moved in for a single-leg takedown in overtime, but St. John countered with a takedown for a 3-1 sudden victory.  Alton will be back in action in the consolation quarterfinals.

Next Up: Joshua Kreimier (Air Force) in the consolation quarterfinals


165: #1 David Taylor (3-0) - Championship Semifinals
David Taylor didn't even crack a sweat during Friday morning's quarterfinals.  The Nittany Lion sophomore put No. 8 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) into a cradle just 29 seconds into the match for his third-straight pin.  Taylor has three pins in St. Louis, all coming in the first period.  He has wrestled a total of 4:07 in three matches at the NCAA Championships.  Taylor, who is now a two-time All-American, has been nothing short of dominant.

Next Up: #4 Bekzod Abdurakhmono (Clarion) in the championship semifinals


174: #1 Ed Ruth (3-0) - Championship Semifinals
Although he did not score his third-straight pin, like Taylor, Ed Ruth remained dominant on Friday morning with an 11-4 victory over No. 9 Nick Heflin from Ohio State.  Ruth struck first with an early takedown, but Heflin came right back with a reversal.  Nonetheless, Ruth added an escape, stalling point and a second takedown in the second to build a 6-3 lead.  From there, the Lion sophomore wore down Heflin for an 11-4 victory and a spot in the semifinals.  Ruth is now a two-time All-American.

Next Up: #4 Logan Storley (Minnesota) in the championship semifinals
Ruth defeated Storley by a score of 13-2 in the Big Ten Championship finals.


184: #6 Quentin Wright (3-0) - Championship Semifinals
Defending national champion Quentin Wright said that it doesn't matter where you are seeded at the national tournament.  Regardless of his seed, Wright said that if you keep winning you will eventually meet the best wrestlers in the nation.  Wright moved into the national semifinals with an exclamation point victory against No. 3 Ben Bennett of Central Michigan.  Wright put Bennett in a cradle and nearly had the CMU veteran pinned several times before repositioning and securing a pin at the 2:25 mark to earn All-America status for the third time.

Next Up: #2 Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) in the championship semifinals
Wright defeated Hamlin by a score of 5-2 to win the 2011 national championship match at 184 pounds.


285: #6 Cameron Wade (2-1) - Consolation Quarterfinals
Senior Cameron Wade suffered a 7-0 setback to No. 3 Clayton Jack from Oregon State in the quarterfinals on Friday.  Wade will be back in action on Friday night in the consolation quarterfinals.

Next Up: Nick Gwiazdowski (Binghamton) in the consolation quarterfinals


Consolation Draw:
133: Frank Martellotti (1-2) - Tournament Complete
Frank Martellotti suffered 19-9 setback to No. 6 Devin Carter from Virginia Tech in the consolation round of 16 on Friday morning.

Next Up Tournament Complete


197: Morgan McIntosh (1-2) - Tournament Complete
Freshman Morgan McIntosh finished his first trip to the NCAA Championships with an 8-3 setback to Andrew Campolattano from Ohio State.

Next Up: Tournament Complete



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ST LOUIS, Mo. - The defending national champion Penn State wrestling team marched its way to a 16-2 overall record and first place in the team standings on the first day of competition at the 2012 NCAA Championships inside the Scottrade Center.

Headlined by a combined four pins from sophomores Ed Ruth and David Taylor, the Nittany Lions earned seven spots in the quarterfinals, which begin on Friday morning at 10 a.m. CT.  Joining Ruth and Taylor in the quarterfinals will be Nico Megaludis, Frank Molinaro, Dylan Alton, Quentin Wright and Cameron Wade.  Additionally, Frank Martellotti and Morgan McIntosh will both wrestle in consolation action on Friday.

Day I Team Scores:
1. Penn State - 38.5
2. Minnesota - 33.0
3. Oklahoma State - 28.5
4. Cornell - 27.5
5. Iowa - 26.0

As is the case on first day of the national tournament every year, the action was fast-paced on eight mats.  Here is a roundup from all nine Nittany Lions competing at the NCAA Championships.

125: #10 Nico Megaludis (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
Freshman Nico Megaludis looked like a veteran on Thursday in St. Louis.  Sure it was his first appearance in the NCAA Championships, but the freshman showed a great deal of poise en route to a spot in Friday's quarterfinals.  Megaludis scored a 13-5 major decision victory over Wyoming's Michael Martinez in the first round.  The Penn State match of the evening session was his bout against seventh-seeded Jarrod Patterson from Oklahoma.  Through two periods, it was all Patterson, who led 3-0 after 5:00 of wrestling.  Nonetheless, with some assistance from the Penn State cheering section right next to his mat, Megaludis rallied to score seven points in the third on his way to a 7-3 victory over the seventh-seeded wrestler in the draw.

Next Up: #2 Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) in the quarterfinals
Sanders defeated Megaludis by a score of 6-2 in two meetings this season, one in a dual match and one at the Big Ten Championships.


133: Frank Martellotti (1-1) - Consolation Round of 16
Frank Martellotti showed a great deal of grit on Thursday inside the Scottrade Center.  Martellotti was pinned by top-seeded Jordan Oliver from Oklahoma State in the first round.  Nonetheless, he came right back with a hard-fought 2-1 decision against Frank Lomas from California State University Bakersfield in his consolation bout in the evening session.  He moves on to wrestle in the second round of the consolation draw on Friday.

Next Up: #6 Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) in the consolation round of 16


149: #1 Frank Molinaro (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
Undefeated senior Frank Molinaro's road to the quarterfinals was not easy on Thursday night.  The New Jersey native rolled past Cornell's Christopher Villalonga by a score of 9-0 in round one.  However, Molinaro had to battle past Oregon State's Scott Sakaguchi to punch a ticket into the quarterfinals.  The Oregon State grappler scored the first takedown to claim a 2-0 lead.  Molinaro answered with an escape and takedown to set the score at 3-2 after one period.  The Lion senior led by a 5-3 count heading into the third, but Sakaguchi scored a takedown in the final seconds to set the score at 5-5.  With the riding time point (2:27), Molinaro moved into the quarterfinals.

Next Up: #8 Eric Grajales (Michigan) in the championship quarterfinals
Molinaro defeated Grajales by a score of 6-1 during the dual season.


157: #7 Dylan Alton (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
In his first-ever NCAA Tournament match, Dylan Alton defeated Columbia's Jake O'Hara by major decision (12-4).  In the second round, Alton met Michigan State's Anthony Jones.  The duo wrestled twice prior to Thursday's bout, and Alton said afterwards that he knew it was going to be tight.  Alton beat Jones 1-0 in the dual meeting and 2-1 at the Big Ten Championships.  Friday's bout was much of the same with Alton scoring a narrow 2-1 decision, thanks to an escape and riding time.  Alton clinched the match with a superb third period after Jones selected down to begin the frame.

Next Up: #2 Derek St. John (Iowa) in the championship quarterfinals
St. John knocked off Alton at the Big Ten Championships by a score of 3-1 in overtime.

165: #1 David Taylor (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
Sophomore David Taylor spent very little time on the mat on Thursday thanks to a pair of dominant first-period pins.  Taylor scored a pin at the 1:40 mark against Casey Lear from Bucknell in the first round.  In the second round, Taylor turned Chattanooga's Brandon Wright at the 1:51 mark while leading by a score of 6-1.  The Ohio native moved into the final eight with ease.

Next Up: #8 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) in the championship quarterfinals
Taylor defeated Kokesh, 13-3, during the dual match season.

174: #1 Ed Ruth (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
Taylor and fellow sophomore Ed Ruth mirrored one another during Thursday's action.  Ruth followed suit with Taylor by scoring a pin at 1:43 in his first round match against Jim Resnick of Rider.  In the night session, moments after Taylor's first-period pin, Ruth stepped onto the same mat and put Missouri's Dorian Henderson in a cradle for a pin at the 1:26 mark.  At 165 and 174 pounds, Taylor and Ruth combined for four pins in a cumulative time of 6:41.

Next Up: #9 Nick Heflin (Ohio State) in the championship quarterfinals
Ruth pinned Heflin in the dual match meeting.  He also defeated Heflin by major decision at the Big Ten Championships.


184: #6 Quentin Wright (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinal
Defending national champion Quentin Wright marched past North Carolina's Thomas Ferguson by a score of 11-0 in his first match at the NCAA Championships.  Wright carried that momentum into the evening session with a second-straight major decision against Hofstra's 11th-seeded Ben Clymer.  Wright took a 7-1 lead into the third period en route to a 10-2 decision and a spot in the championship quarterfinals.

Next Up: #3 Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) in the championship quarterfinals


197: Morgan McIntosh (1-1) - Consolation Round of 16
Freshman Morgan McIntosh moved past Oregon State's Taylor Meeks by a score of 9-3 in his first career match at the NCAA Championships.  With the win, McIntosh faced off with top-seeded Cam Simaz from Cornell.  Simaz moved into the quarterfinals with a 22-7 tech fall (7:00).  McIntosh will be back in action on Friday morning in the consolation round of 16.

Next Up: Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State) in the consolation round of 16
McIntosh defeated Campolattano by a score of 3-1 in overtime at the Big Ten Championships.

285: #6 Cameron Wade (2-0) - Championship Quarterfinals
Senior heavyweight Cameron Wade became Penn State's seventh quarterfinalist with two victories on Thursday.  Wade scored a 17-2 tech fall victory over Clarion's Quintas McCorkle in the first round.  The Twinsburg, Ohio, native then tallied an 8-2 decision against Cornell's Marciej Jochym.  When Wade is aggressive like he was on Thursday, the Nittany Lion senior is a tough matchup.

Next Up: #3 Clayton Jack (Oregon State) in the championship quarterfinals








Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony